Vegging in Melbourne

For one week I've been back in Melbourne, one of the best cities in the world!!!!! This was my home for five months and in many ways, it hasn't changed a bit. With the quirky bars hidden down lane ways, the too-cool-for-school cafes and laid back feel, it feels good to be back.  However, last time round I didn't notice so many people wearing black - and its summer.

But in between meeting up with friends, photographing street art and wandering about the city, I had one important activity; Vegging. I've been a potato house guest for 'the Aussie' and her boyfriend.

 I am one with the couch. My main companion has been a cat called Yogurt, who doesn't think much of this house guest. Especially since I've stolen her room (including the use of a sponge bob square pants duvet) and bought her the wrong type of cat food.

Vegging has included;

1.Sleep. Lots of it.
2. Drinking coffee and tea. Sometimes at the same time.
3. Eating Pizza, Pad Thai noodles, Sushi and Indian take aways.
4. Reading Patti Smith's 'Just Kids.'
5. Watching enough TV to last me six months. Episodes of Angel and the inbetweeners have been preferred.
6. Getting lost on wikipedia and you tube. And there's also the old habit of making collages on Polyvore. This is reminding me exactly why I need to travel and live places where Internet connection is limited, I have no self control.
7. Having baths. God, I've missed them.

Tomorrow I return to Sydney and the ship.  Once again Melbourne has given me exactly what I needed and I go back well rested and stronger.  After vegging out on a massive scale, work on Wednesday will definitely be a shock!!!!

Living aboard

As I sit on a comfy couch, with a wifi connection and day time TV on full blast (that's right people I've escaped the ship for one week!), I've been reflecting on my experience on the Southern Swan. In my previous post  Learning to sail, I discussed the work side of my life, but living aboard is also a dominate part of this new world.

My Cabin.


Within in the crew, the vast majority live aboard on either the Southern Swan, or the Soren Larsen. For the moment, the southern swan is my home. When I first started I was sharing a room with three people. Now I share with one; my partner Zim. My Cabin, in all honesty, is not the prettiest. In fact its the only room not to have been updated it last years' refit. Its dark. There's one little skylight and unless we're connected  to shore power, turning on the light is impossible.  And it's very hot, especially when the engine's been on and off all day (for the day cruises they motor upwind before setting the sails) .  I have never loved torches so much in my life and will eternally be grateful for my fan!

However, what we do have is a double bunk. A real sized double. And its comfy as, well a normal bed, but it makes waking up some mornings really hard!  Its also clean and as cabins are build for sleeping and not much else, I can't complain.

Location


When I first started, the ship was over on a customs wharf near Balmain.  Then the Soren Larsen came along and needed a home. So the Swan moved to a new location. A timber wharf in Campbell's cove. And wow, what a view.  Its a private wharf, but sometimes we have to politely remind member of the public.

being in this location, means the rocks, one of my favourite areas of Sydney, is literally on our door step.  Sometimes, if the morning start isn't too early, I pop to my fave coffee shop for a take away cappuccino.

Food


We used to take turns cooking and washing up in the evening, however for a while things got a little crazy, disorganised and if it wasn't due to certain people, I would of gone very hungry. By January order was restored and those aboard the swan were up for cooking. Its been interesting nearly poisoning a friend with pesto (who knew it contained nuts) and learning yummy vegetarian dishes.    So on the swan everyone takes a turn cooking from our staples and anything special we've picked up.

Cleaning


As part of the daily routine, it cleaned everyday, which is a plus! There's a shower with a power head, which is awesome. However, no matter how much i scrub, my finger nails stay dirty and the dirt is en grained in my feet. All my shoes have been ruined from working on the ship, so I spend a lot of time barefoot.

Hanging out


But the main thing that makes living aboard worth it are the crew.  On the whole, I feel I've been lucky these 6 months. On the Southern Swan not only has everyone worked well together, but we've had some fun times, spending a lot of our free time together.  Sitting and talking about, well,  not a lot, out on deck has given me some great memories.  And on the rare occasions when you get the ship to yourself, it can be pretty amazing  spending time with this old girl.

Out and about in Sydney: The Bondi to Coogee walk

 Way back in October, me and Zim walked the coastal route between Bondi and Coogee beach.  Along the 4km stretch we found the beaches of Clovella and Bronte, saw a pod of dolphins, rated the water side homes and walked across a massive graveyard. I found myself fascinated with the catholic graves, many of them the resting place of Navy men and their families.

After food and a nap on Coogee beach, for some bizarre reason we did it all over again!!!! I think part of it was because we didn't know the buses in Coogee.

Although the weather was cool and the wind was blowing, this is definitely a great way to see Sydney outside of the heads.  A definite must while in Sydney.

On the Wishlist: Surry Hills

A few weeks ago me and the tall one visited Surry Hills, number two of my Sydney wish list.  It didn't really live up to expectations.  It was a far walk from central and i wasn't really sure when we arrived. Definitely would not refer to this district as a village (as some tourist brochures have). However, we did go into a few cute shops, have coffee and then head to coco cabana's for pizza and a daiquiri . There was also some awesome artwork on the walls (see above).

Happy I got to see the place, but next time I'll wait for a reason to come this way.

Happy Birthday Australia!!!!

Working on the Southern Swan has its perks, and being aboard for Australia day was definitely one of them.  Sure the weather couldn't make its mind up (raining, sunny, chucking it down then clearing) but what a day. In the first sail every boat and it mum was in the harbour, all dressed up to commemorate the birth of a nation.  And then there was the Tall ship race, in which the Swan fought against its sister ship the Soren Larsen, 17th century replica the Duyfken, and replica training vessel the Young Endeavour (who ended up winning!).

Then for the evening cruise, the ship took part in a parade in cockle bay in Darling Harbour, it was pretty bizarre seeing myself on the big screen, knowing that my image was being broadcast across the country (I grinned and waved like an idiot). And then we watched the fire works, which were, as always, amazing.

And for both sails it was great to have a two member band playing,  the singers voice - wow.
So thank you Australia, for another great experience.

Looking after your pennies: Seven budgeting tips for Australia

Its pretty obvious that as a western country with a strong currency, travelling Australia isn't cheap. I've met so many people (including myself ) that start to run out of funds in a matter of weeks. Believe me, stressing over money can really put a dampener on things.
Here I've put together seven tips on how to stretch your pennies and make the most of what you're spending. Sure there are some things you really can't afford to skimp on (blog article to come soon) but this is a list I wished I'd known before getting here.

1) Research your entitlement to a Medicare card.  Coming from a land where health care is free to all, forking out $60 odd AU dollars for a GP appointment has been a bit of a culture shock. Unlucky enough to need an ambulance called out and you could be looking at a bill of $300.  There's no question that skipping health cover would be a really stupid idea, but how you go about it is the  crunch point.  Insurance companies are excellent at making claims difficult to put through and refusing to pay you back!
For citizens of countries like the UK and Sweden, citizens are able to obtain a Medicare card.  This will allow you free (or reimbursed) doctors appointments and subsidised costs. So check whether you could have one.
Note: Medicare does not include dentistry costs, so make sure your insurance covers this (my $135 dollar trip to the dentist taught me this).

2) With accommodation, the Internet is your friend.  Even with an Internet site taking its commission, booking accommodation via a third party is cheaper than calling up the hostel.  Sites like hostel world can give great deals.  Sometimes questioning the price of a bed won't get you far, however if its off peak and there is more than one hostel in town, don't be afraid to barter.  This can even work with Campsites.
If camping its also worth researching free sites on the net and don't be shy to quiz tourist information centres.
Remember, if staying in an area for a while, ask the hostels about work for accommodation.

3)  DIY tours. A great thing about Australia is there are a lot of free resources and activities at your disposal.  In the cities, visit the tourist information centres, make your own walking tour, make note of the free museums, parks and transport.  major cities like Perth and Melbourne have free shuttle buses (Perth) and trams (Melbourne)in their centres.  All it takes is a few google searches
Out in the country, again use tourist information centres to find out walking trails and beauty spots you don't have to pay for.

4) Get your own wheels and share the ride - Buying or renting, not only does having your own vehicle give your more freedom, it also works out pretty cheap. Choose the right one and it can double up as your accommodation. The more people sharing the journey, also means split fuel costs. If you find you've got a spare seat, why not put a few adverts in a few hostels.  maybe your the one looking to hitch a ride. If so, check the notice boards.

5) Get a job you bum!!!  This is a popular 'budgeting' technique, i.e you can't so you need to find cash - sharpish.  Luckily due to its mining exports, Australia is one of the few countries where jobs are still in demand.  Find the right job and not only will you make a little money, you'll experience something totally different. Outback work may have its challenges, but the pay can be good and the culture very Australian. However, if your visa won't allow you to work but you wish to prolong your travel, organisations like workaway and woofing maybe for you.  volunteers can find a host of small companies and families looking for help. In exchange for food and board, volunteers work a few hours a day.

6) Staying connected.  a lot of my budgeting techniques have included researching on the net, so its only proper on tip should centre on staying connected.  Its may only be a few dollars at a time but Internet cafe bills can add up after a while. Therefore, finding free wifi facilities always makes me smile. Generic chains like MacDonald's and the coffee club have got me through some tough times, as public libraries. The more populous the area, the more likely cafe with have wifi.  Also some transport systems, like Sydney ferries, have wifi aboard.

7) Yummy food doesn't always cost a bomb - I know fighting with a dozen other travellers for space in a hostel kitchen isn't glamorous, but it will save you money.  However, when you want to splash out on a meal, pick up local tourist guides in hostels and information centres. You'll usually find discount coupons and deals on the back pages.

Or...you could wear an orange jumpsuit like the fellow above and make your millions on Circular Quay!

Sydney wishlist 2012

I've been in Sydney for about 5 months now and although I've got through a few activities, there is always more in this city. Yet now that I have a time limit in the city (I'll be leaving in April) it maybe time to write my remaining goals.  I began writing a wish list for Sydney, but as time went by its only got longer and I will definitely won't get through them all in two months. Therefore, I've performed a list cull. here are the activities and places I must do by April.

1. Luna park - I see it everyday on the day cruises. It looks like the tackiest theme park to grace the east coast - and I really want to go!!!!!!
2. Visit surry hills  -A suburb that's home to bohemian cafe and cute boutiques.
3. Do something active - either go surfing, kayaking, try a paddle board or dive once more!
4. Go to Taronga zoo - I need to sought out a wombat, they maybe my favourite Ozzy animal and I still haven't seen one.
5. Go to a new beach. I've gone to Coogee, Bronte, Bondi, Manly, Shelley sand Clovella - but I need to sample one more.

So there you have it. You guys are my witnesses that I must complete this wish list. And if I don't, I must have some elaborate excuse to tell you.